70 SPORT SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 23 2018 Bungling Burgess brothers’ bad night TIM WILLIAMS THE first thing a young rugby league player is taught is how to do up his headgear. The second is how to hold a football securely. The Burgess brothers appear to have skipped both those lessons while learning the game in the north of England. It was all downhill for George from the early stages of the preliminary final clash with the Sydney Roosters when he had his strapping that covered 20 stitches knocked clean off his head. Ball control has been a major issue for the star trio all season and ultimately it cost South Sydney a spot in the 2018 grand final following a 12-4 loss to their bitter tri- coloured rivals. Entering the clash, Sam’s 26 errors were the most of any forward in the competition alongside teammate Angus Crichton – a whopping eight more than the next ranked middle forward in Jason Taumalolo. Between the brothers and Roosters centre Joseph Manu makes a charge into Souths stars Greg Inglis and Cody Walker during last night’s preliminary final at Allianz Stadium Picture: BRETT COSTELLO their back-rower, they’d amassed a staggering 69 errors throughout the season prior to last night’s clash. That number surged in the last ever game at the Sydney Football Stadium, now known Gutsy Roosters secure as Allianz Stadium. George was quickest out of the blocks, spilling his beans in the 15th minute while lumping the ball up out of his own end. The Roosters capitalised on the mistake in the following set showdown with Storm with the opening try of the game to winger Daniel Tupou. Sam then dropped it cold in DAVID RICCIO on the field takes him to within ROOSTERS In rugby league’s final act sides last night, it was Friend’s the 32nd minute leaving the 80 minutes of delivering on 12 before Allianz Stadium is de- lifting tackle on Inglis in the Rabbitohs’ own half, while THE left arm of Cooper Cronk the Roosters’ bold investment molished, the Roosters’ ab- 13th minute that allowed the Crichton ensured he wouldn’t will become the most talked- to lure him from the Storm RABBITOHS sorbing preliminary final win Rabbitohs to play from 2-0 in be outdone atop the leader- about limb in Sydney after the this year. 4 over a Souths side that mis- front via the boot of Adam board with his own mistake courageous halfback inspired Incredibly, Cronk – if he re- SYDNEY fired in attack ensures the two Reynolds. The Bunnies’ ad- just minutes out from halftime. the Roosters to a title-fight covers in time to face his for- Tries: D Tupou B Ferguson best teams of 2018 will battle vantage didn’t last long though Tom almost completed the with the Melbourne Storm. mer side – will become the first P Momirovski for the NRL’s ultimate prize. with the sublime hands of brotherly trifecta in the first 40 Goals: Nil The $1 million-a-year half- player to feature in eight grand Melbourne – who could be James Tedesco sparking the minutes when the ball left his back has just seven days to finals in 44 years. Roosters SOUTH SYDNEY without a judiciary-bound Billy Roosters’ first try of the night. grasp attacking the Roosters’ Tries: Nil recover from the arm injury Hall of Fame inductee Ron Goals: A Reynolds Slater – will have no fear taking Daniel Tupou was the re- line, but it was contentiously which left him unable to pass, Coote played in nine grand on the Roosters, having won cipient of Tedesco’s slick ball- deemed to have been a strip. kick or have any of his usual finals between 1965-75. five of the past six encounters movement, planting the footy With 15 minutes remaining authority during the Roosters’ The gutsy Roosters also of possessing no carry-over between the two sides. down for a 4-2 lead. before full-time it was Sam second-half shut-out of ar- face a nervous wait for hooker points. And, despite both reaping Souths’ tackling technique again showing he’s been bur- chrivals South Sydney at Alli- Jake Friend, who could be The Roosters will also need rich rewards over the past dec- – playing at the arms of the dened with sticks of butter for anz Stadium last night. cited today by the NRL match to rapidly sort out their goal ade, it will be the first time the Roosters ball-carriers – frus- fingers, dropping a short ball Surviving a cheap shot from review committee for a first- kicking, after Blake Ferguson Roosters and Storm have met trated the minor premiers into just 10m from the Roosters’ Rabbitohs forward Junior half lifting tackle on Greg and Sio Siua Taukeiaho missed in a grand final. error and on the scoreboard tryline with the Rabbitohs Tatola, Cronk’s bravery to stay Inglis. Friend has the benefit all four conversion attempts. After a jittery start by both throughout the tight match. trailing by four points. Moylan’s painful week ends in defeat Meninga backs DCE for Kangaroos CRONULLA star Matt Moy- an attempt to make his first “But in the end the Storm DALY Cherry-Evans is on the Minister’s XIII clash against Cherry-Evans played the lan spent days icing his ankle grand final. were too strong. verge of his first Kangaroos Papua New Guinea in Port last of his 11 Tests four years in a bucket to ensure he played “It wasn’t ideal going into “I think we had a good op- call-up since 2014, as Austra- Moresby next month. ago before being cast aside by against Melbourne but says the game but I didn’t want portunity in front of us but our lian coach Mal Meninga de- Australian coach Mal Men- selectors. He returned to the the pain of defeat will only to make a fuss about it,” performance wasn’t how we clares the Manly halfback has inga said Cherry-Evans was in Origin arena this year, going drive him on. Moylan said. wanted to play. put his “demons’’ behind him. the frame to wear the No.7 close to nabbing man of the Moylan bravely played on “I also tried not to let “They executed their game For so long Cherry-Evans jersey when the Kangaroos match honours for Queensland his busted ankle against the anyone know. plan well in that first half and it was earmarked as the long- play Tests against New in the final game of the series. Storm after rolling it at train- “It (the ankle) was ready to was always going to be a big term replacement for the likes Zealand and Tonga. “I was very impressed with ing during the week. go when I got out there on task to come back.” of Cooper Cronk and Jonathan Barring injury, Cameron him at Origin,” Meninga said. Teammates feared he the field but I just had to Moylan has now lost two Thurston. Now the Manly half- Munster will wear the No.6 “I loved his involvement and wouldn’t play in the prelimi- keep my foot in a bucket for grand final qualifiers in his ca- back is set to get his chance. jersey, leaving Cherry-Evans the way he directed the team. nary final but Moylan revealed most of the week and that reer – the first in 2014 when Cherry-Evans will this week and James Maloney to fight it “He has the experience and he was always going to play in was tough. Penrith lost to Canterbury. be named to play in the Prime out for the halfback spot. leadership qualities.” NTNE01Z01MA - V1.